thern arm of the little bay.

"Look at that," cried Billy Widgeon suddenly, as the light flashed out
as quickly as it had appeared, the glowing scene changing
instantaneously to the most intense darkness, while now a peculiar odour
began to pervade the air, a suffocating hot puff coming from the land,
charged with sulphurous vapours.

Everything was ready for a start, but there was one thing needful,
light, for the risk was too great to attempt to get round the southern
point in the darkness. It was dangerous with the gig, but they had
learned the positions of the rocks by heart, and could come round now
with ease. With a boat drawing so much water, however, as the cutter,
it was different, and the course necessary so intricate, that,
tremendously in their favour as a start would now be, the captain dared
not run the risk.

"It's death to stay," said Gregory, as they stood in a group waiting for
day.

"It's death to go," said the captain gloomily. "One touch on a sharp
rock, and we shall fill, or be fast."

"Well, Strong," said the major, "I don't like to interfere in your
navigating matters, but in this case, as a soldier, I say if we are to
die, let's die like Englishmen trying our best."

"We are trying our best, Major O'Halloran," said the captain coldly.

"Yes, my dear fellow; but for Heaven's sake let's start."

"What should you do, Mark?" said the captain, laying his hand on his
son's shoulder.

Mark was silent for a moment or two, and then said huskily:

"I don't like going against your opinion, father, but I should start
now."

"In the darkness?"

"Yes. It seems to be our only chance."

The captain made no verbal reply, but took out his knife, and stepping
to where the rope passed out from the stern, mooring them to a crag of
rock that seemed to rise from unfathomable depths, he divided the
strands, and the rope fell with a splash in the water. Then, going to
the bows, where the other rope ran to one of the timbers of the
_Petrel_, he cut that, and there was another splash.

Then giving his orders, a couple of the men passed sweeps over the side
with the greatest of care, and the head of the cutter began to turn, and
she was moving slowly toward the mouth of the bay when once more the
intense darkness was cut as by a knife, and the little vessel seemed to
be destined to have a light as clear almost as day for making her way
round into the lagoon, where she could catch the wind and escape.